Peoria man arrested in burglary investigation

A Peoria police officer was flagged down just before 10 a.m. Saturday morning by a man who told the officer he was chasing the suspect who had just broken into his house at 407 S. Center St., according to a report on the incident. Police said Lamont L. Shumate, 19, of 1315 S. Matthew St. was found with...

A burglar was chased from a vacant house when the property owner caught him in the act, police said.

A Peoria police officer was flagged down just before 10 a.m. Saturday morning by a man who told the officer he was chasing the suspect who had just broken into his house at 407 S. Center St., according to a report on the incident.

Police said Lamont L. Shumate, 19, of 1315 S. Matthew St. was found with a pry bar, pliers and a garbage tote filled with more than $5,000 in copper wire, pipes and a furnace authorities believe were stolen from the vacant home.

Shumate was arrested Saturday morning in an alley in the 2100 block of Southwest Jefferson Avenue and booked on charges of residential burglary, theft, possession of burglary tools and criminal damage of property. He was issued a notice to appear in court.